RSShttp://www.cjlo.com/rss
enSte-Catherine proposal: pedestrians only, Montreal hits milestone death count from coronavirus, MMIWG action plan delayedhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/ste-catherine-proposal-pedestrians-only-montreal-hits-milestone-death-count-from
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000">Stories by: Luca Caruso Moro</span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000">Reporter: Shanellie Marie</span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<hr /><p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><strong>Ste-Catherine proposal: pedestrians only</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">A new proposal from the city could make a huge portion of Ste-Catherine pedestrian only. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Between Papineau and Atwater, the city says cutting the area off to traffic could make more room for arts and festivals. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Summer programming could also continue through COVID restrictions, as pedestrians could spread out into the street to keep distance. </span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><strong>Montreal hits milestone death count from coronavirus</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Social distancing is still necessary to flatten the curve of coronavirus. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">On Thursday, the city passed 3000 deaths since the start of the outbreak. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Montreal has extended its state of emergency to June 9 after first announcing it on March 27. </span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><strong>MMIWG action plan delayed</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">A year after the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women published its final report, Ottawa has shelved its vow to take action. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Justin Trudeau announced he would have a plan to address the 231 calls to action by June 2020.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">The government said it would not be releasing an action plan due to COVID-19. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Any plan to continue work has not been released.</span></span></span></p>
<p>
</p>
</div></div></div>Sat, 06 Jun 2020 03:19:44 +0000Shanellie20979 at http://www.cjlo.comhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/ste-catherine-proposal-pedestrians-only-montreal-hits-milestone-death-count-from#commentsMontreal merchant who was looted supports for BLM protest, Plante and Legault on racism in Montreal, Valérie Plante supports body cameras for Montreal Police http://www.cjlo.com/articles/montreal-merchant-who-was-looted-supports-blm-protest-plante-legault-racism-montreal
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Hadassah Alencar</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong> </strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>________________________________________________________________</strong></p>
<p>
</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Montreal merchant who was looted expressed continued support for BLM protests</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Steve’s music store owner Lenny Lanteigne told CTV News he supports the Black Lives Matter movement even after being looted during Sunday’s demonstration. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">After police shot tear gas into a crowd of peaceful protestors, some demonstrators began looting and destroying property. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Videos show the stores glass windows broken with looters walking out carrying guitars and other merchandise. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Lanteigne says it was unfortunate, but worth it for the cause.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Plante and Legault on racism in Montreal</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Legault is committing his government to prepare a plan against racism in Quebec. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">This after he was criticized for saying systemic discrimination was not an issue in Quebec. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">He did not back away from his statements, but said there is a need to combat racism. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">This will include sending “clear directives” against racial profiling to all police forces in Quebec.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante acknowledged systemic discrimination is an issue in Montreal.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Valérie Plante supports body cameras for Montreal police</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Montreal police will need to wear body cameras.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">While the mayor initially came out against the idea, Plante says the cameras are “part of the tool box” to fight against systemic discrimiation in policing.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Along with the cameras, police will have stricter rules for street-checks and updated training. </span></p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 05 Jun 2020 15:27:35 +0000Hadassah20978 at http://www.cjlo.comhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/montreal-merchant-who-was-looted-supports-blm-protest-plante-legault-racism-montreal#commentsCléa Vincent Provides a Tropical Soundtrack for the Summer with Latest EPhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/cl%C3%A9a-vincent-provides-tropical-soundtrack-summer-latest-ep
<div class="field field-name-field-article-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.cjlo.com/sites/default/files/images/articles/Cl%C3%A9a%20Vincent%20%28Michelle%20Blades%29.jpg" width="600" height="416" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Photo credits: Michelle Blades</span></span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cleavincentmusic/">Cléa Vincent</a></strong> is best known in her native France for crafting pop songs with an electro touch. However, with <em><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/5Md5sV8vltZmZYT6AQtL0c">Tropi-Cléa 2</a></em>, Vincent has continued to develop her explorations of global sounds to enrich her typically French pop, stepping out onto a dancefloor where reggae, salsa, cumbia, bossa nova, and jazz mingle and bring life to the EP’s six radiant, fresh-sounding songs. The follow-up to Vincent’s first <em><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/3qZJMIZSBdDlHHeQvd22vN">Tropi-Cléa</a></em> EP arrives just in time to enjoy the warmer weather (while practicing physical distancing of course). CJLO caught up with the musician about her new release, sequels, and the magic of <strong>Carole King</strong>.</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>What did you want to achieve with <em>Tropi-Cléa 2</em> that you weren’t able to do on the first EP? Did you have a vision for the sequel different from that of the first EP, or did they originate from a similar creative space?</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The studio recording of the first EP was so much fun that I wanted to repeat the experience. I was encouraged by my musicians, who liked the liberty that came with this tropical parenthesis that acted a little bit like a playful recreation to our regular work on my previous albums. All my musicians come from a jazz background and they really like to record live and play a part in the arrangements as well. Compared to the complex and intellectualized creative process on my albums, these two EPS are like a breath of fresh air creatively. I’m usually aiming for a modern sound and looking for originality while creating my albums, but with the EPs, I just meet up with the musicians and I play them the songs only accompanied by the piano, and then we start to jam like a bunch of kids playing at the kindergarten. </span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Many different lyrical subjects are covered in the songs of Tropi-Cléa 2, such as romantic encounters (<a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/5Md5sV8vltZmZYT6AQtL0c?highlight=spotify:track:0foZQtNkPGaSOPTrkS7Izz">“Sans dec”</a>), the right to idleness in a fast-paced world (<a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/5Md5sV8vltZmZYT6AQtL0c?highlight=spotify:track:0pAoBw2wq8JydayGz1ZBiv">“N’allez pas travailler”</a>), and relationships between men and women (<a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/5Md5sV8vltZmZYT6AQtL0c?highlight=spotify:track:16f3ismHTS2vtIGPLtCy81">“Poupée canapé”</a>). Is there a process to decide if one of your songs or its lyrics will be kept for your more electro-pop albums and which will be used for your Tropi-Cléa series?</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">I usually choose what songs will be put into the <em>Tropi-Cléa</em> basket or the album basket not by the theme or lyrics of the songs, but because of its musicality. For example, the repetition of the lyrics “poupée canapé, poupée canapé” [sofa doll] reminded me a lot of Cuban choirs – they came to me spontaneously while writing it. So, I knew at that moment that it wouldn’t fit 100% as a pop song on my album, with drum machine and synths. I laughed a bit of myself and told myself “You’re maybe going too far into the Latin references, but it’s okay, that’s what <em>Tropi-Cléa</em> exists for!” It’s almost like a side project.</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong><a href="http://www.cjlo.com/articles/interview-cl%C3%A9a-vincent">The last time I interviewed you</a>, you already knew at the time that you wanted to do a second <em>Tropi-Cléa</em> EP in the future. Do you already know if you want to make a third installment of the series?</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">I’m worried a <em>Tropi-Cléa 3</em> may be a bit much, like <em>Terminator 3</em> was, hahaha! But, if the songs are there, why not? For the moment though, I don’t have any new material ready for another EP like this.</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPMrwkvPeKw">“Du sang sur les congas”</a> is a perfect song to lift the spirit and dance our troubles away, even at home while practicing social distancing! Have your fans shared stories of listening to your music to help them get through the tough times we are currently experiencing?</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Thank you, that’s so nice! Yes, I received very funny videos of children dancing while listening to <em>Tropi-Cléa 2</em> during the lockdown. Children love it because the theme has strong imagery and it’s easy to understand. When you talk about dolls or not going to work, it strikes them directly! Haha! The videos are often filmed around 5-6 pm, when the children are quite excited and have a lot of energy to spare, and their parents want them to let off some steam!</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>As an artist who thrives from being the stage, how do you find new ways to connect with audiences? In addition, what do you think are some of the music-related practices that should be kept even after things get back to normal, and do you hope the music industry will change as a result?</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Because of everything going down and the quarantine, most of the promo surrounding the release of <em>Tropi-Cléa 2</em> was made of a bunch of homemade livestream performances for the media who requested it. It was very interesting to learn to do this. Not at all easy, but the more I made those videos, the less time it took doing it. I think it was a nice learning experience and something I can now add another arrow to my quiver. I had some help with the person living with me who is also a sound engineer, and my drummer was sending me some drum loops as well!</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">What would be interesting when we can start to play live in front of an audience again is to go back to smaller venues, where the public feel that they are experiencing a special moment and a more direct contact with the artist and their music – less cold and industrial than a stadium show. Even if it was Prince! </span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>On a lighter note, what are your favorite sequels, from either the world of music or other art forms?</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">I really like the band <strong>Catastrophe</strong>, who are working currently on a second album. They mix pop music with poetry, dance and theater. This very rich and strong artistic proposal gets all my admiration!</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Lastly, I saw in an interview that you hope in 10 years "to be even closer to Carole King." What is it about the career arc of the famous songwriter that you aspire to?</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Carole King stayed true to herself; she’s very human and wears her heart on her sleeve. She continued to play piano and sing, while being natural, wearing simple clothes, nothing fancy, and looking always fresh with a smile on her face. She is an excellent musician and she was able to stay connected to the music.</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><em>Tropi-Cléa 2 is out now (Midnight Special Records).</em></span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><em>Alex Viger-Collins is the host of <a href="http://cjlo.com/shows/ashes-ashes">Ashes to Ashes</a>, your weekly dose of modern pop, every Tuesday at 8:00 PM EST.</em></span></span></p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 01 Jun 2020 16:27:43 +0000Hunter20973 at http://www.cjlo.comhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/cl%C3%A9a-vincent-provides-tropical-soundtrack-summer-latest-ep#commentsDJ Spotlighthttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/dj-spotlight-6
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="rtecenter"> </p>
<p class="rtecenter"><img alt="" src="https://i.imgur.com/BDRKPGQ.jpg" style="height:540px; width:540px" /></p>
<p class="rtecenter"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:10pt">Hi I'm Ryan aka DJ Slurp and I co-host <a href="http://cjlo.com/shows/mouse-party">Mouse Party</a> every Wednesday [3PM]. </span></p>
<p class="rtecenter"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:10pt">Every week we play anything from pop punk to postpunk and we try to feature as much new and local music as we can. It's a good time <img alt="laugh" src="//cdn.ckeditor.com/4.4.3/full-all/plugins/smiley/images/teeth_smile.png" style="height:23px; width:23px" title="laugh" /></span></p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 01 Jun 2020 14:36:08 +0000Jessica20972 at http://www.cjlo.comhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/dj-spotlight-6#commentsMMIWG action plan delayed, Record GDP drop, Police officer charged with murder http://www.cjlo.com/articles/mmiwg-action-plan-delayed-record-gdp-drop-police-officer-charged-murder
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px">Reporter: Shanellie Marie</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:16px">Stories: Luca Caruso Moro</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<hr /><p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>MMIWG action plan delayed</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">June 3 marks the anniversary of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry’s final report.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">It laid out 231 recommendations for Canada to take action on violence against Indigenous peoples. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Now, a year later, Ottawa was expected to release an action plan based on those recommendations. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Because of COVID-19, that plan has been delayed indefinitely. </span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Record GDP drop </strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">In other news,</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Canada’s economy fell 8 per cent in the first three months of 2020, the sharpest drop since the 2009 financial crisis. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">The hardest hit sector was arts and entertainment, </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">which saw a 40 per cent drop as COVID-19 forced theatres, cinemas and galleries to close. </span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Police officer charged with murder </strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Former Minniapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with third degree murder and manslaughter of George Floyd. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">In murder in the third degree is classified as an action that resulted in death, but without the intention to kill. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">It has the maximum sentence of 25 years. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Chauvin is the only officer to have been charged out of the four who responded to a 911 call made by staff of a local grocery store. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Floyd had allegedly used a fake $20 bill. </span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div>Sat, 30 May 2020 01:27:32 +0000Shanellie20970 at http://www.cjlo.comhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/mmiwg-action-plan-delayed-record-gdp-drop-police-officer-charged-murder#commentsTOPS Create their Most Life-Affirming Record with I Feel Alivehttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/tops-create-their-most-life-affirming-record-i-feel-alive
<div class="field field-name-field-article-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.cjlo.com/sites/default/files/images/articles/TOPS%20%28Shelby%20Fenlon%29.jpg" width="600" height="459" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p dir="ltr"><em>Photo credit: Shelby Fenlon</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent">An artist’s fourth album sometimes has a reputation for breaking sharply with their history and charting a new way forward – think </span><strong>Radiohead’s</strong><span style="background-color:transparent"> </span><em>Kid A</em><span style="background-color:transparent"> or </span><strong>Arcade Fire’s</strong><span style="background-color:transparent"> </span><em>Reflektor</em><span style="background-color:transparent">. However, </span><a href="http://www.tttopsss.com/"><strong>TOPS</strong></a><span style="background-color:transparent"> take a different approach on their fourth and latest album, </span><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/0aFqZJGOa5R2wETNRQPW8m"><em>I Feel Alive</em></a><span style="background-color:transparent">. Instead, the Montreal quartet stay the course with their inimitable brand of romantic pop, crafting arguably their best album yet. Throughout the record’s 11 songs, </span><em>I Feel Alive</em><span style="background-color:transparent"> balances the giddiness of a new relationship with the agony of leaving old things behind. It's an introspective record that you can dance to, music that hits in an immediate rush but sticks around, perfect for the current times we’re living in. CJLO caught up with </span><strong>TOPS</strong><span style="background-color:transparent"> vocalist </span><strong>Jane Penny</strong><span style="background-color:transparent"> about the new record, storytelling, and surviving COVID-19.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>While Montreal is still the geographic heart of TOPS, the band has been dispersed in different locations outside of the city for quite some time. After getting everyone together again to make the new record, was there a new spirit during sessions, like family reuniting again? Does it take a bit longer now to get those creative juices flowing together, or is it just like the band’s early days?</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:transparent">It happened really quickly – I think we all missed playing together and were really looking forward to it, so we just sort of dived right in. If anything, it was harder back in the early days when we were still figuring out how to write songs as a group. We used to spend quite a bit more time circling the target. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>The band has described </strong><em>I Feel Alive</em><strong> as an “emotional journey” about relationships, segmented into three distinct acts. While I read that the record wasn’t made explicitly as a concept album, was it perhaps made subconsciously with such themes, as a way to present the new LP differently from the first three?</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:transparent">I think we all have stories that we tell ourselves about different periods of our lives, to better understand what happens to us, or because we want to make a break from a certain period, and when you make a record you kind of have to do that for the press. Things like break ups or big moves are natural ways to draw those lines. We really didn’t consider the album in a conceptual way lyric-wise, we just wrote about what we were thinking about and what we were going through at the time. When it came time for the track listing, the natural progression of the songs ended up telling a certain story, so we went with that. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>I’ve heard a lot about what artists influence the sound of TOPS’ pop perfection, but what is it that the band thinks most makes a perfect pop song?</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:transparent">A perfect pop song changes the molecules in the room for the better, and you remember the feeling and at least some of the words afterwards. It’s enjoyable to listen to, stands out, and has its own character. A perfect pop song should be more like a good friend than an annoying one, ideally. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>The flute provides wonderful texture on <em>I Feel Alive</em> tracks like <a href="https://soundcloud.com/topsss/direct-sunlight?in=topsss/sets/i-feel-alive-6">“Direct Sunlight”</a> and <a href="https://soundcloud.com/topsss/looking-to-remember?in=topsss/sets/i-feel-alive-6">“Looking to Remember.”</a> A friend of mine once remarked that adding flutes to a song makes it a banger. What’s your take on that statement?</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:transparent">Well that’s good news for me because I love recording flute! I think sax can do a really similar thing. I’m so happy that I learned how to play the flute when I was a loner teenager with nothing but time and a malleable brain. I hope young people are still learning how to play instruments; it’s so nice to already know how later on. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>TOPS was recently on the cover of Spotify’s Montréal Chill playlist! What are your thoughts on Spotify and the age of streaming, as artists but also as fans and consumers of music?</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:transparent">Well, I come from an age of saving up to buy a CD, and then CD burning and music pirating, and I have to say from a listener's perspective it’s quite amazing how available music is to our ears nowadays. Certainly, there are issues with it, but as a lover of content, it’s hard for me to be strongly against avenues that allow people to access music, art, film, etc. easily and cheaply. The lack of compensation is symptomatic of larger issues within the system of late capitalism that affect everyone, not just musicians. It wouldn’t be hard for Spotify to pay out more per play, and that’s what should happen. Luckily, most people actually want to support the musicians they love, and sites like <a href="https://tops.bandcamp.com/album/i-feel-alive">Bandcamp</a> are creating an avenue for that. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong><em>I Feel Alive</em> was released not too long after many social distancing measures were put in place, and has become a soundtrack for listeners to get through the pandemic blues. It’s obviously not what the band imagined the record would represent, but how does it feel knowing that the album will forever be associated with the COVID-19 crisis?</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:transparent">Yeah, I guess it really will! Music has been an incredibly important part of my days. If our record is helping out people, or people are enjoying it right now, I’m just happy for that. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>TOPS is lucky to have an established career to help weather out COVID-19 and its disastrous effects on the music industry. Despite that, has this whole situation made the band take stock of its past and future?</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:transparent">We’ve definitely been thinking about what the future will hold, it’s just a little difficult to know how much will change and how we’ll have to adapt. This isolation period has given us a lot of time when we were supposed to be very busy touring and promoting our record, and we’ve been making a lot of music. Whatever the future holds, we’ll keep making recordings and getting them out there. If the landscape of touring is impacted for another year or more, which seems likely at this point, then we’ll have a lot more time to devote to video productions and finding new ways of staying in touch. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Is there any music or non-music related trend popularized by COVID-19 that you hope continues once this is all over?</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:transparent">I’ve been watching movies remotely with friends, and I must say I almost prefer it to watching a movie with friends in the same room … only because you’re cozy, you can be in bed or whatever, with your favorite snacks, and they’re on their couch with their snacks and a beer or whatever. No one had to travel anywhere, and you message little jokes and comments on what’s happening, but it’s not like this thing you have to negotiate with how much to talk, like when one person talks too much or one person wants everyone to be silent and is shushing everyone else.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>It’s been nearly 10 years since TOPS’s debut album, </strong><em><a href="http://open.spotify.com/album/0ntPzaMQ7TpWijZwIIt2Zj">Tender Opposites</a></em><strong>, was released. What is it about the band back then that has stayed the same after all these years?</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Riley (Fleck)</strong><span style="background-color:transparent">, </span><strong>David (Carriere)</strong><span style="background-color:transparent"> and I are all still in a band together, and that’s pretty crazy. We still have the ability to come up with ideas together and are usually equally excited about the really good ones. We still drive ourselves around and do all of our own tour managing and hotel bookings and all that. We still get excited about old synths, and everyone still cares a bit more about the music part than the other aspects of being a musician. I guess not a lot has changed now that I think about it!</span></span></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><em><span style="background-color:transparent">I Feel Alive</span></em><em> </em>is out now (Musique TOPS).</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><em>Alex Viger-Collins is the host of <a href="http://cjlo.com/shows/ashes-ashes">Ashes to Ashes</a>, your weekly dose of modern pop, every Tuesday at 8:00 PM EST.</em></span></span></span></p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 29 May 2020 00:36:22 +0000Hunter20969 at http://www.cjlo.comhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/tops-create-their-most-life-affirming-record-i-feel-alive#commentsLegault considers "thank you" to asylum seekers, Splash Pad opening, Montrealers banned from Oka Parkhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/legault-considers-thank-you-asylum-seekers-splash-pad-opening-montrealers-banned-from-oka
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:10.5pt">Voice:</span><strong> Luca Caruso-Moro</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:10.5pt">Stories: </span><strong>Hadassah Alencar</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong> </strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>________________________________________________________________</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Legault considers if asylum seekers could stay</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Legault is considering allowing some asylum seekers who are working in the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic to immigrate to Canada. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">The announcement follows weeks of the government saying they would not consider giving any preference for asylum seekers. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Now, they say they want to extend a “thank you” to this community. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">This exception would help many refugees, many of them Haitian, who crossed into Quebec from the US. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">About one thousand are currently working in long-term care homes, many with severe staff shortages.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Splash Pad opening to combat heat wave</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Splash Pads across the city of Montreal are gradually opening to help families deal with the heat wave. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">While childrens parks and swings will remain roped off, splash pads will give kids a chance to play outside in public spaces again.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Parents will be responsible for maintaining social distancing rules.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Montreal residents banned from Oka Park</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">The Mohawk Council of Kanesatake and Quebec have agreed on a deal to reopen Oka provincial park.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Montrealers will still not be allowed in. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Kanesatake Grand Chief Serge Simon has taken down road blocks from the entrance of Oka park following the negotiation. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">The park will reopen but at 50 per cent capacity, and only to the communities in the lower Laurentians. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:11pt">Access to Kanesatake will remain restricted.</span></p>
<p>
</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 27 May 2020 23:37:10 +0000Luca20967 at http://www.cjlo.comhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/legault-considers-thank-you-asylum-seekers-splash-pad-opening-montrealers-banned-from-oka#commentsDJ SPOTLIGHThttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/dj-spotlight-5
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="rtecenter"><img alt="" src="https://i.imgur.com/BUTwTiI.jpg" style="height:540px; width:540px" /></p>
<p class="rtecenter"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial; font-size:10pt">My name is Matthew Mastrocola, and I'm a physics undergraduate student here at Concordia University. I co-host the show <a href="http://cjlo.com/shows/in-the-garage">In The Garage</a> with my long time friend Cole Paquet (we've been buds for over 10 years)! Our show is all about providing an intimate space between friends and our audience where we share what we've been into the past week. We'll play mostly alt-rock music ranging from shoegaze, post punk, garage rock and some emo, but each week brings a little different flavour where we'll change things up and hopefully play something you'll find cool! Check us out every Monday at 10 PM for some tunes, banter and maybe the occasional hot take provided by yours truly!</span></p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 25 May 2020 12:26:16 +0000Jessica20960 at http://www.cjlo.comhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/dj-spotlight-5#commentsMontreal extends state of emergency, Bushfires rush through NS, Major Quebec Fire Extinguishedhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/montreal-extends-state-emergency-bushfires-rush-through-ns-major-quebec-fire-extinguished-0
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Reporter: Shanellie Marie</p>
<p>Stories: Luca Caruso Moro </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<hr /><p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>Montreal extends state of emergency </strong></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">For your COVID-19 update, Montreal has again extended its state of emergency to May 26.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">The province is moving forward with plans to reopen retailers, library services and museums. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">As of this weekend there were over 46,000 people infected in Quebec.</span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>Bushfires rush through NS</strong></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Approximately 1000 people were forced to leave their homes this weekend as bushfires spread through Nova Scotia. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Dry and windy conditions have pushed fires to grow out of control in the Porter Lake area, just 20 km east of Halifax. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Authorities say the evacuation perimeter may need to be expanded. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Halifax Fire has been called in to aid provincial firefighters. </span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>Major Quebec Fire Extinguished</strong></span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">In Quebec,the changing weather has raised the risk of fires in the province to “extreme.”</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">A major fire broke out on Friday 20 minutes north of Trois-Rivieres. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Several people were evacuated as firefighters from seven municipalities banded together to fight the blaze. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Quebec’s provincial police did not report any injuries. </span></span></span></p>
<div> </div>
</div></div></div>Mon, 25 May 2020 03:46:34 +0000Shanellie20959 at http://www.cjlo.comhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/montreal-extends-state-emergency-bushfires-rush-through-ns-major-quebec-fire-extinguished-0#commentsMontreal extends state of emergency, Bushfires rush through NS, Major Quebec Fire Extinguishedhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/montreal-extends-state-emergency-bushfires-rush-through-ns-major-quebec-fire-extinguished
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Reporter: Shanellie Marie</p>
<p>Stories: Luca Caruso Moro </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<hr /><p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>Montreal extends state of emergency </strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">For your COVID-19 update, Montreal has again extended its state of emergency to May 26.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">The province is moving forward with plans to reopen retailers, library services and museums. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">As of this weekend there were over 46,000 people infected in Quebec.</span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>Bushfires rush through NS</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Approximately 1000 people were forced to leave their homes this weekend as bushfires spread through Nova Scotia. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Dry and windy conditions have pushed fires to grow out of control in the Porter Lake area, just 20 km east of Halifax. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Authorities say the evacuation perimeter may need to be expanded. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Halifax Fire has been called in to aid provincial firefighters. </span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>Major Quebec Fire Extinguished</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">In Quebec,the changing weather has raised the risk of fires in the province to “extreme.”</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">A major fire broke out on Friday 20 minutes north of Trois-Rivieres. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Several people were evacuated as firefighters from seven municipalities banded together to fight the blaze. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="background-color:transparent; font-family:arial">Quebec’s provincial police did not report any injuries. </span></span></span></p>
<div> </div>
</div></div></div>Mon, 25 May 2020 03:46:27 +0000Shanellie20958 at http://www.cjlo.comhttp://www.cjlo.com/articles/montreal-extends-state-emergency-bushfires-rush-through-ns-major-quebec-fire-extinguished#comments